The seeds of time
by Mizu-Tenshi
Summary: For the diehard RM fans and the hopeful RaySelima fans too. If you could decide who someone else fell in love with what would you do? Would you have the strength to make the right decision? RayMariah, KaneSalima, and onesided RaySalima. Oneshot


Mizu_Tenshi: Now this is different, guess I got tired of torturing Kai. Ah, time to explore the romantic side.  
  
Pairings: Ray/Mariah, Kane/Salima and one-sided Salima/Ray  
  
Dedicated to: Fans of the above pairings, Mariah and/or Salima lovers and those who think Kane needs a girlfriend.  
  
"..." Speech '...' Thought *...* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own this anime  
  
******************  
  
If you can look into the seeds of time and say which will grow and which will not  
  
Speak then to me who neither beg nor fear your favours nor your hate  
  
-- Banquo, Macbeth, Shakespeare  
  
The seeds of time  
  
Fireworks blew apart the sky in a magnificent display of red, green and gold, leaving behind only a smoky trail disappearing into the night's sky.  
  
Below the rain of dying embers that fell from the sky three very different pairs of yes gazed in wonder at the display.  
  
"Pretty!" Max exclaimed, as hyperactive as ever.  
  
"Amazing, huh?" Ray, who stood in the middle, smiled appreciatively.  
  
Tyson, however, could not stay still. He twitched and fidgeted, running his hands through the grassy ground they sat on, twisting and turning around in a hope to see a familiar face. "Where's Kenny?" he asked impatiently.  
  
"He went inside, he said the loud noises scare him," Ray replied, his golden orbs never leaving the deafening display.  
  
"Too bad, he doesn't know what he's missing," Tyson muttered, "and Kai?"  
  
"I'm sure he's found some isolated patch to admire the fireworks from," Ray answered in the same distracted tone.  
  
"I swear the Psychiks were meant to be here by now," Tyson continued to complain  
  
"Patience Tyson, patience, they'll be here any moment," Ray gently chided the irritated boy.  
  
"Please Ray, we know you're as impatient as Tyson to meet them, especially since there's a certain cute red-head on that team," Max smiled slyly.  
  
Ray finally tore his eyes away from the fireworks to cast Max a puzzled glance.  
  
Tyson, catching on, shook his head with the same devious smile Max wore. "No, no, you got it all wrong, it's the White Tigers he's waiting for...and a certain pink-haired wild cat," he smirked.  
  
"Are you sure?" Max said, feigning bewilderment. "I would swear that he and Salima would...you know...especially after the cyber incident."  
  
"I'm positive," Tyson said firmly, "he and Mariah go way back."  
  
Ray felt a blush creep into his cheeks and prayed that the others could not see it in the darkness of the night. "Guys! Do you mind?" he cried. "I don't appreciate you two discussing my love life when I'm right in the middle of both of you!"  
  
That was the wrong thing to say.  
  
At the last remark both boys turned deviously upon the helpless Ray like wolves upon an injured rabbit.  
  
"Okay Ray," Max drawled out his words, teasing the poor boy with the conniving tone hidden behind his voice.  
  
"So who do you like then?" Tyson asked.  
  
"Yeah, since you're here why don't you tell us?" Max piped in.  
  
"What?!" Ray looked at the preposterously. "No way! I can't - "  
  
"You shouldn't keep secrets from your friends," Tyson said with a wicked little grin. The two of them worked together as team, pinning down the hapless raven-haired teen with their questions.  
  
"I like both of 'em, okay? I think they're both really nice girls!" Ray yelled over the fireworks.  
  
Max scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You sure? Isn't there one you like just a teeny-weeny bit more than the other?"  
  
"No!" Ray yelled, this was really pissing him off now. "Stop asking me these stupid questions!" He cried, rising to his feet in a huff, he stalked away muttering inaudible things about how nosy people wear and of threats of murder and torture.  
  
"I think we've pushed him to the edge of his sanity," Max commented as he watched his friend continue to mutter and kick and unfortunate cans that happened to bar his way.  
  
~  
  
"Whoa what a festival!" Goki cried as the Psychiks arrived at the fairground located in the heart of Tyson's hometown.  
  
Salima ignored her large companion's enthusiastic grins. There was only one reason why she had come here and that was to see a certain raven-haired blader.  
  
It really had not been that long since the cyber incident and the end of the tournament when Tyson had bravely fought against that Zeo kid yet it felt like an eternity.  
  
She wanted to see Ray again, she could still feel his protective arms around her as she was blown back by cyber Dragoon. What better night than tonight to let out the thoughts and emotions she had hidden for so long?  
  
"Where are you going?" Kane asked as Salima began to slink away.  
  
"To find Ray," she answered. Not even waiting for a reply she walked into the midst of the festival.  
  
With her head bowed, she jostled past the crowds. What would she say when she found him? A little friendly conversation to start off with never hurt.  
  
She walked across the roads to the railings overlooking the town. This had been where she and Ray had talked, when she realised how she felt.  
  
She was so wrapped up in thoughts that she paid no attention to where she was going and bumped straight into someone.  
  
"I'm so - Oh, hi Salima, sorry about that, guess I was caught in a daydream," Ray apologised.  
  
"No, I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Salima bowed.  
  
"Great festival, huh?" Ray smiled, flashing his trademark fangs that dazzled in the dim street lamps above them.  
  
"Yeah, it's really something this year," Salima commented, absently observing the last of the fireworks still screaming through the sky.  
  
"What were you doing wandering around?" Ray asked, making himself comfortable by propping himself against the railings.  
  
"I was looking for you," Salima answered. Assuming that they were in for a long conversation she hoisted herself up and sat on the thin railings too. "What were *you* doing wandering around?" she asked.  
  
"Uh, I'm kinda waiting some one - some people," Ray blushed and scratched his head nervously. "The White Tigers," he said as if those three words would explain everything.  
  
"The White Tigers?" Salima echoed the team name. They sounded familiar but she was sure that she had never met them before. They obviously had some deep bond with Ray and she felt a pang of jealousy run through her.  
  
"Yeah, they were this team I used to hang out with when I was growing up in China," Ray explained. "I think I have a picture..."  
  
He rummaged through the contents of his pockets, he really had to sort out the junk he kept in them one day.  
  
Finally, he found what he was looking for. It was rather crumpled but he smoothed out the edges and showed it to the curious redhead.  
  
"Wow, so you guys go way back?" Salima said, gazing at the picture of Ray and the White Tigers.  
  
"We practically grew up together," Ray said, "we were all from the same village and our parents were really close," he smiled at the memories the picture brought back.  
  
"Who's that?" Salima pointed to a girl with pink hair standing in front of a huge, bear-like boy. Ray had one hand around her shoulder and they were both smiling.  
  
"Who, Mariah? She's one of the White Tigers of course."  
  
"You two look close; I thought she might have been your sister or something!" Salima laughed nervously but her mind was secretly letting out the breath it had held.  
  
"We are really close but we're not related," Ray smiled forgivingly. "There was this time at the first world tournament when I got injured and had to go to hospital and Mariah was right there next to me, she never left my side until I woke up."  
  
The smile faded from Salima's lips but she quickly brought it back before Ray noticed any change in her.  
  
"Ray, this may sound odd but um..." she trailed off, not really knowing how t phrase her question. "Well, do you like...like her?"  
  
"She's my best friend," Ray said innocently.  
  
"No! I mean like...as in...love...like," Salima felt herself blushing. Why did love have to be so complicated?  
  
"Oh, well I never really thought about it that way," Ray blushed, he scratched his head again as he so often did when he was nervous.  
  
"What's she like?" Salima asked.  
  
"Well, she's got a fiery temper," Ray began ticking off his fingers. "She's quick to anger but inside she's really sweet and caring, she can seem bossy but that's only when she's worried, she's really kind and well, I don't have to say anything when I'm around her; I can just sit in comfortable silence."  
  
"I see," Salima sighed. His voice had been full of awe when he spoke about her. It was exactly the same way she spoke about Ray.  
  
"You'd like her," Ray continued, oblivious to Salima's downcast face. "I'm sure that she'd like you."  
  
"I suppose I would," Salima murmured.  
  
"So why so curious?"  
  
"Oh, no reason," Salima shook her head. She had to get away before she broke into tears, she had to get away now. "I'm gonna see what the others are up to but if you do meet this Mariah girl..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Salima bit her lip. Ray was the kind of guy who would never break anyone's heart on purpose. If she told him how she felt he would probably kiss her but was it out of good will or love?  
  
It was impossible to tell with Ray. He was just so damn nice, if only he could screw the feelings of others and make a decision for himself it would have been s much easier.  
  
She would make the decision for him and from the way he talked about Mariah she knew whom he would be happier with.  
  
"Tell her what you told me," Salima advised him.  
  
"Uh, okay," Ray promised.  
  
To look into every seed of time and choose which would grow...she chose not the choice she wanted but the choice that would inevitably happen.  
  
Salima smiled ruefully. Hugging Ray in what could be their last embrace before walking away from what could have been hers.  
  
~  
  
"You chickened out," Kane stated as if Salima did not know that already.  
  
Salima's fists curled into balls. She just wanted to be alone so that she could cry somewhere private but no, Kane had to come and rub it in her face.  
  
"Leave me alone, Kane," she spat.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Kane asked, there was worry etched in his features but Salima was too busy pitying herself to notice. "You had as good a shot at Ray's heart as that pink-haired girl he keeps talking about," Kane encouraged her though he had no idea why.  
  
He was glad that Salima had given though he knew he should not feel that way.  
  
"You just don't understand me," Salima sighed dejectedly. "When you're in love you do it for the other and not for yourself."  
  
"Who says I don't understand?" Kane asked.  
  
He understood perfectly, he was doing the same for Salima but she never suspected a thing, she never saw that look behind his eyes whenever he gazed at her or how he always did his best to be near her. She was too busy thinking about Ray to ever notice such trivial things as his own affections.  
  
"Who says you do?" Salima countered.  
  
"It's impolite to answer questions with questions and frankly, *I* say that I understand," Kane smirked, crossing his arms firmly across his chest in an adorably stubborn fashion.  
  
"Fine, I won't argue with you," Salima muttered darkly.  
  
"Now what's with the sad face? The festival is still going, you can still have fun," he urged her back to the main festival. He just wanted her to be happy but Salima would not accept it.  
  
"Leave me alone, Kane," she muttered, walking off into the distance. Kane watched her back as she went, fading into the darkness.  
  
~  
  
She ran as far away from the festival as possible and as far away from Ray as possible until she found herself at the beach, staring at the serene sea.  
  
There was no smoke from the fireworks and so the stars could be viewed clearly, swaying and dancing around the moon.  
  
Slowly, her tears feel like falling stars, sparkling just one more time before hitting the sandy beach.  
  
"I'm going to die a gruff, old, lonely woman, aren't I" Salima mumbled to the waves.  
  
"There's still hope," a voice said behind her, it wasn't too far away either.  
  
Shocked, Salima jumped away, spinning round to see the familiar, smiling face of Kane.  
  
Her eyes flared. Why were people so damn persistent these days? All she wanted to do was wallow in pity alone. "I thought I told you to leave me alone!" she yelled angrily.  
  
"Temper, temper," Kane gently shook his head, infuriating Salima even more. "What's with you anyway?"  
  
Salima loosened her stance, muttering, "you couldn't possibly understand."  
  
"Try me," Kan challenged, he crossed his arms stubbornly, he was not going to leave without some kin of explanation.  
  
Tired and heart-broken, Salima gave in and collapsed upon the sandy beach. "Okay," she said, taking in a deep breath. "I have just given up the only person I have ever felt for to some unknown, pink-haired brat!" she began to rant. "Goki's wrong! It's not just a crush, I really felt something when we were battling!"  
  
"Are you sure that wasn't just the cyber bit beast," Kane cocked an eyebrow at her but Salima ignored his remarks.  
  
"It drives me insane just thinking about it! He's got such long, beautiful hair and enchanting golden eyes but I'll only view them from a distance!" she ranted on breathlessly. "Yeah, when I'm an old lonely woman I'll tell all the kids how I could have had the man of my dreams if I had only chosen the right seed to grow but instead I just threw it all away and for - "  
  
She was silence by a quick kiss from Kane. Her eyes flew wide open as he crushed his lips against hers.  
  
It had happened. There was no way to stop it. Kane just could not hold back his emotions anymore and he would have to deal with the consequences later.  
  
Salima pulled away, panting breathlessly. "Kane, what are - "  
  
"You say that I don't understand you but I think that you don't understand *me*" Kane said.  
  
"Kane..." Salima softly whispered his name.  
  
Kane's eyed turned harsh under hearing his name spoken. "Do you know what I feel whenever you chase after that hopeless kitten of yours?" he asked her accusingly. "Do you know that I've waited patiently for five years for you to notice my feelings?"  
  
Salima gaped. Five years? That was when they had first met, five years ago. "I - "  
  
"Of course, you were probably too wrapped up in you own Ray-filled world to notice me," Kane continued, caught up in his own little world. He had kept his feelings bottled up for so long that they had broken out of him and now he could not stop them. "Though I don't really blame you, I'm not much compared to him, am I?"  
  
"Don't say that!" Salima hissed fiercely.  
  
"Why not? You're still crazy about Ray, aren't you?" Kane said bitterly.  
  
"Don't be a jerk, Kane!" she yelled angrily. First he hinted that he loved her and now he was telling her now crazy she was about Ray, what was wrong with him?  
  
"Why not?" Kane repeated the question. "It's not like it'll matter - "  
  
This time, it was his turn to be silence by Salima's pressing lips.  
  
Together, they fell onto the sand, rolling against the golden grains, their bodies locked together slowly melting into the approaching dawn.  
  
~  
  
"You're finally here!" Tyson cried as the familiar faces of the White Tiger appeared. "The festival is almost over now!"  
  
"Sorry," Lee apologised. "The plane was delayed so we had to wait for five whole hours!"  
  
"Well you're here now and that's what matters," Max said cheerfully.  
  
"Just in time for the ending fireworks too!" Tyson agreed.  
  
"What fireworks? I can't see anything in this crowd," Kevin said, jumping helplessly while people barged their way on front of them.  
  
"Nor can I and I'm twice as tall as you," Lee said, trying to peek over the heads of people.  
  
"I know a place higher up that we could view the fireworks from," Ray offered.  
  
"Well then, let's go!" Mariah smiled, she was exactly as he remembered her with the exception of her slightly longer, darker hair. Grabbing Ray's hand they ran off without the others.  
  
Ray guided her to a large grassy hill quite a distance away from the main festival area. It was quiet and peaceful and from the top a view of the whole city could be obtained. However, the way there meant a treacherous trek across loose ground and thistle bushes.  
  
"Are you sure this is the way?" Mariah asked for the tenth time. She did not like the look of the thistle bushes they were dangerous approaching.  
  
"I'm almost positive," Ray yelled back.  
  
"Almost?" Mariah raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Um," was all Ray could say under her harsh glare.  
  
Mariah shook her head and continued to proceed upward at a snail's pace.  
  
Her foot slipped as loose soil freed itself from under her foot. She screamed as she plunged back down the hill, catching herself on some thistles before she finally stopped halfway down.  
  
"Ow!" Mariah hissed painfully. "Damn thistles! Crap, they sting!" she cursed.  
  
"Are you okay?" Ray asked worriedly, sliding down to join her.  
  
"Arg! This is your fault!" Mariah glared at him.  
  
Ray took a few steps back. No one wanted to get on the bad side of Mariah "Me? How is it my fault?" he dares to ask.  
  
"It was your idea to come up this way so it's your fault," Mariah explained in a slightly exasperate tone, giving up on being angry.  
  
"Okay, I'm sorry," Ray bowed apologetically, "but it isn't too far from the top, let's go all the way up," he suggested.  
  
"Do you think I can go all that way with a twisted ankle?" Mariah hissed.  
  
Ray did not say anything but he gently took hold of her and hoisted her onto his back.  
  
"What are you - "  
  
"If you can't walk then I'll carry you," Ray said simply.  
  
Mariah felt a blush take over her cheeks, it was a good thing Ray could not see it or she would have died. "Thanks," she whispered.  
  
"Don't mention it," Ray grunted as he trekked up the hill with Mariah on his back.  
  
It took ten minutes to reach the very top of the hill and Ray was absolutely exhausted as he carefully deposited Mariah on the grass before collapsing besides her but the view was worth it.  
  
"You were right, the fireworks really do look amazing from here," Mariah breathed.  
  
The fireworks they had been saving for the end really were the best. They look like the stems of flowers shooting out before the bloom in an explosion of colour, their seeds raining down to earth.  
  
Fireflies of colour whizzed through the sky and Catherine wheels whirled across the heavens.  
  
"Mariah," Ray said, suddenly remembering his promise to Salima. "I think you've got one hell of a temper, but inside you're really sweet and caring, you can be bossy at times but you're really kind and stuff," he trailed off hopelessly, feeling incredibly stupid and foolishly nervous.  
  
"Whoa! Now where's all this coming from," Mariah asked though she could not help but smile at Ray's tactless methods.  
  
"I don't know," Ray blushed furiously. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that you're really...special...to me."  
  
"That sounded kinds corny but not bad for a first attempt," Mariah smiled even more.  
  
"It is very hard," Ray said defensively.  
  
"I'm sure it is," Mariah said patronisingly. "Now it's my turn," she leaned over and kissed him.  
  
It was just a light one at first then it slowly became more passionate, each one wanting more of the other.  
  
Fireworks exploded above them then faded away. As the smoke cleared it revealed a host of stars swaying softly around the moon.  
  
Ray leaned closer, his fingers running through Mariah's hair, caressing her body.  
  
Unknown to the world, the seeds of time was scattered and at that very scene one grew and bloomed into a flower while the wind blew the rest away.  
  
********************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Thanks for taking the time to read this far. This is my first non-yaoi romance involving canon characters so please tell me what you think. Should I stick with yaoi or just give up the idea of romance altogether? Well, 'til the next time!  
  
~Mizu 


End file.
